CN216824532U - Powered Air Purifying Respirator - Google Patents

Abstract

Powered air purifying respirator featuring hood with air intake, face mask and neck mask. The face mask is sealed to and pivoted from the hood. The neck mask extends from the head mask and the face mask. The first fan motor supplies power to the first fan, and the second fan motor supplies power to the second fan. The hood has an upper portion and a lower portion. The first fan is in fluid communication with the upper portion. The upper portion is formed as a hollow area between the user's head and the hood. The first fan is fluidly connected to the lower portion. The lower portion is formed as a hollow area between the user's face and the face mask. A filter draws air outside the upper portion and the lower portion. The filter is driven by a fan.

Description

Powered Air Purifying Respirator

technical field

The utility model belongs to the field of electric air purifying respirator.

Background technique

Various prior art references describe various structures for powered air purifying respirators. For example, in International Patent No. AU2011227672 A Powered Air Purifying Respirator, published September 22, 2011 by Desmond T. Curran et al., the abstract discloses, "Disclosed is a A powered air purifying respirator (PAPR) that delivers flow to the wearer. The PAPR includes a turbo unit having turbo unit components including a fan, a motor, and an electronic control unit with a wireless electronic control transceiver, the fan being electronically Driven by a motor under the control of a control unit configured to send and receive information through an electronic control transceiver; a turbo unit power supply to supply power to the turbo unit components; a turbo remote control unit with wireless turbo remote control transceiver machine; at least one turbo status indicator unit adapted to indicate the current operating status of the turbo unit and/or turbo unit components, having a wireless turbo status transceiver; wherein at least one of said turbo remote control unit and turbo status indicator unit Remote from the turbine unit and wherein at least two of the electronic control transceiver, the turbine remote control transceiver, and the turbine status transceiver are in wireless communication with each other."

Also, for example, in International Patent No. RU2566910 Full Face Mask for Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR) published on October 27, 2015 by Oliver KLOKSET, the abstract discloses, "Field: Fire Safety. Subject: Powered Air Purification The full face mask of respirator (PAPR) must be used in an unhealthy environment. The face mask has an air inlet and an air outlet. According to the present invention, it is a kind of transparent plastic material made by a single-stage vacuum forming process A one-piece component with a field of view that unfolds in a plane without deformation and includes a compartment within the entire mask that accommodates the blower unit, located in the front area of the full-face mask, and leading to the interior space of the full-face mask .Beneficial effect: Improved design. 19cl, 7fwg."

As another example, in U.S. Patent No. 3,822,698, issued July 9, 1974, to R Guy, the inventor of the Powered Air Purifying Respirator Helmet, the abstract discloses, "A helmet or hat with a built-in electric blower and air A filtration system that removes contaminants from the surrounding air and delivers purified air under positive pressure to the area between the wearer's face and the mounted transparent mask supported by the helmet, where the wearer can function normally Breathing in, while excess filtered air and exhaled air escape through the slightly restricted opening between the bottom of the mask and the wearer's chin."

As another example, in the respirator of US Patent No. 4,590,951, the inventor is Richard K.O'Connor, published on May 27, 1986, the abstract discloses, "A powered assisted respirator comprising at least covering the nose and mouth of a user. A mask that has an outlet for a one-way exhalation valve that can be opened to allow air to flow out of the mask when a predetermined pressure P is established in the mask. The pump unit supplies air to the space inside the mask. A flexible hose connects the pump unit to the inlet of the mask, or its pump unit can be mounted directly on or in the mask; the filter canister is connected to the inlet of the pump unit to filter the air supplied to the mask.One-way intake valve Provided in the air path flowing from the pump unit to the mask, a pressure sensor is provided to sense the air pressure in the inlet area of the pump unit to de-energize the pump unit when the pressure in the inlet area of the pump unit exceeds a predetermined level. Selecting the pump unit The operating parameters of the pump and exhalation valve are such that the pressure within the mask where the exhalation valve will open slightly is greater than the pressure at the pump outlet, which will stop the pump from operating effectively or substantially."

As another example, in US Patent No. 6,772,762, issued August 10, 2004 to Gregory Hubert Piesinger for Personal Electric Air Filtration, Disinfection and Conditioning System, the abstract discloses, "A hollow eyeglass frame combined with a wearable distributed air pump. , in order to form a portable positive pressure electric air purifying delivery system for supplying breathable air to the nostrils of an individual in an imperceptible manner. The ambient air is pressurized by combining the output ends of a plurality of piston compression tubes, these multiple pistons A compression tube is positioned and connected to form a thin flexible pump that can be worn around the waist. This pressurized air flows through a filter and conditioning module to create breathable air, which is then piped to the hollow glasses using a small diameter tube Air intakes on the frame. The nasal tube on the hollow spectacle frame near the nose inadvertently introduces breathable air into the nostrils at a rate that exceeds the individual's peak inspiratory rate, thereby preventing the inhalation of unfiltered air."

As another example, in US Patent No. 6,957,653 to Donald L. Campbell et al., published on October 25, 2005, the abstract discloses, "The improved full face flat seal respirator has a A primary seal element and a secondary seal element adjacent to the breathing space. Exhaled air (ie, clean air obtained through one or more filter elements) from the breathing space enters the flush formed between the primary and secondary seals If there is a leak in the primary seal, the air in this flush channel will leak into the breathing space instead of the ambient air. The air in the flush channel is mainly the air that has passed through the filter element. Therefore, the present invention provides An inexpensive respirator that offers more protection than traditional negative pressure respirators."

Also, for example, U.S. Patent No. 7,832,396, HIGH AIR FLOW ELECTRIC AIR CLEANING ANTI-POLLUTION DEVICE, issued November 16, 2010 to Alfred Campbell Abernethy, the abstract discloses, "A high output powered air comprising an anti-pollution kit. Purifying respirators, including filters for particulate matter in the air, high-powered blowers for delivering cool air to the body, and a stable mechanism that can be configured in head-mounted or rear-mounted depending on the worker's needs The head-mounted configuration facilitates streamlined movement and includes a head-mounted suspension system with a circular track around the worker's head and a rolling bearing halo to stabilize the blower/filter and allow the worker The head rotates within the halo. The present invention may also include additional modules that are also configurable by the user, additional modules such as personal hydration and separate camera and dosimeter support."

As another example, in US Patent No. 8,069,853 of Greg A. Tilley, the inventor, published on December 6, 2011, for a breath-responsive powered air-purifying respirator, the abstract discloses, "A system that uses feedback control to regulate airflow to a closed environment. A system that controls valve and blower speed. The system provides a control for regulating airflow to a closed environment (such as a respirator mask) to ensure that the person wearing such a mask can breathe enough air. Responding quickly to changes in conditions in the environment, the airflow regulator includes a valve control and a blower control.”

For another example, in the Modular Powered Air Purifying Respirator of US Pat. No. 8,667,959 published on March 11, 2014 by Greg A. Tilley et al., the abstract discloses, "A Modular Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR ), which consists of a fan, motor, scroll, and power supply mounted in a housing, and accepts a conventional or conformal filter. Ambient air is drawn into the PAPR module through an attached filter through the fan, which passes Directly connected to the motor to drive. Pressurized air is then accelerated to the outlet of the PAPR housing through an optimized scroll tube. The PAPR module can be used for a variety of purposes. The PAPR module also includes a removable battery pack module, which is a removable battery pack module Easily secured to or removed from the PAPR module, the user can quickly remove a spent battery pack module and install a new one, allowing the battery to be replaced in one breath cycle.”

As another example, in U.S. Patent No. 3,822,698 to R Guy, published July 9, 1974, for a powered air purifying respirator helmet, the abstract discloses, "A helmet or cap that incorporates a built-in electric blower and air A filtration system that removes contaminants from the surrounding air and delivers purified air under positive pressure to the area between the wearer's face and the mounted transparent mask supported by the helmet, where the wearer can function normally Breathing in, while excess filtered air and exhaled air escape through the slightly restricted opening between the bottom of the mask and the wearer's chin."

As another example, in US Patent No. 8,887,719 to Britton G. Billingsley et al., published on November 18, 2014 for an air filter device with an adjustable air distribution system, the abstract discloses, "A filter device 10, It includes a housing 12 having a plurality of sub-sections 32, 34 and 36, wherein each sub-section is adapted to receive filter elements 26, 28 and 30. The inlet 18 is provided in a first position on the housing 12 and upstream of the air distribution system Placed in fluid communication with inlet 18 and each subsection 32, 34 and 36. A downstream air distribution system is provided in fluid communication with each subsection 32, 34 and 36, while outlet 20 is in fluid communication with the downstream air distribution system. Above, The downstream air distribution system is configured to induce the same airflow velocity through each subsection. Using this configuration, the overall product life can be increased while minimizing the pressure resistance of the entire filter.”

Also, for example, in US Patent No. 8,936,022, issued January 20, 2015, to Garry J. Walker, the abstract discloses, "The respirator assembly has a respirator The respirator hood has a front side that includes the helmet and a rear side that includes the air intake. The respirator assembly has a dimensionally stable manifold with an air intake duct extending through the air intake of the hood, while also having an air intake within the hood. a plurality of air delivery ducts in fluid communication with the air intake duct."

As another example, in US Patent No. 9,358,409 Air Filtration Device, published June 7, 2016 by David L. Ausen, the abstract discloses, "The air filtration device may be helmet or belt type. The air filtration device includes a filter Device housing and filter unit. The filter unit includes a contaminated air inlet, a filter assembly in fluid communication with the contaminated air inlet, a blower assembly in fluid communication with the filter assembly through a conduit and containing a filtered air outlet, and a The assembly outlet is fluidly connected and leads to the passage of filtered air of the breathing cap. The respirator assembly is vibrationally isolated from the filter device by means of a conduit attached only to the filter device housing. The conduit includes a resilient material."

Also, for example, in US Patent No. 10,441,828 to Desmond T. Curran et al., issued October 15, 2019, the abstract discloses, "Disclosed is a method for combining forced filtered air A powered air purifying respirator (PAPR) that delivers air flow to the wearer. The PAPR includes: a turbo unit having turbo unit components including a fan, a motor, and an electronic control unit with a wireless electronic control transceiver, the fan in Driven by an electric motor under the control of an electronic control unit configured to send and receive information through an electronic control transceiver; a turbo unit power supply to supply power to the turbo unit components; a turbo remote control unit with wireless turbo remote control a transceiver; at least one turbo status indicator unit adapted to indicate the current operating status of the turbo unit and/or turbo unit components, having a wireless turbo status transceiver; wherein at least one of the turbo remote control unit and the turbo status indicator unit One is remote from the turbine unit, and wherein at least two of the electronic control transceiver, the turbine remote control transceiver, and the turbine status transceiver are in wireless communication with each other."

For another example, in the positive pressure air purification and conditioning system of US Publication No. 20060177356A1 published on August 10, 2006 by the inventor Gregory Miller, the abstract discloses, "Disclosed is an air purification system using ultraviolet germicidal lamps. Air The purification system is in fluid communication with the ventilation duct. The air purification system is also in fluid communication with the ambient air. The air purification system may include a brake for selecting the ambient air and/or the ventilation duct as the air source for the treatment. The air purification system may also be used in Get positive pressure in a confined space."

For another example, in US Publication No. 20090314295A1 of the powered air-purifying respirator published on December 24, 2009, the inventor is Tom Hatmaker, the abstract discloses, "The powered air-purifying respirator includes a housing that defines an inlet an air port and an air outlet; a filter assembly operably connected to the housing for removing contaminants from the air; an impeller/motor assembly contained in the housing for drawing air into the air inlet and filter; a flow sensor, located within the housing, for measuring air flow from the air inlet to the air outlet; and a gasket, contained within the housing, for locating and retaining various internal components while also helping to reduce On impact to the housing, the gasket further defines the air passage from the impeller/motor assembly through the flow sensor to the air outlet." The aforementioned prior art references are incorporated herein by reference.

Utility model content

Powered air purifying respirator features a hood, face mask, and neck mask with air intakes. The face mask is sealed to and pivoted from the hood. The neck mask extends from the head mask and the face mask. The first fan motor supplies power to the first fan, and the second fan motor supplies power to the second fan. The hood has an upper portion and a lower portion. The first fan is fluidly connected to the upper portion. The upper portion is formed as a hollow area between the user's head and the hood. The first fan is in fluid communication with the lower portion. The lower portion is formed as a hollow area between the user's face and the face mask.

The filter draws in air from the outside of the upper and lower parts. The filter is driven by a fan.

The first fan or the second fan may be connected to the lower portion to improve the user's breathing. A face filter may be mounted on the face mask to filter incoming air. Ear filters may be installed on the hood to filter incoming air and improve hearing. A headband separates the upper portion from the lower portion. Preferably, the hood is made of a soft foam shell. The neck wrap preferably has a comfortable neck pad.

A heat pipe mounted within the hood is configured to remove heat from the upper portion and can be combined with a Peltier thermoelectric cooler element. The brim extends outward and may have a light and power switch. An internal airflow channel may be formed in the upper portion such that the airflow channel directs air from the front of the user's head to the back of the user's head. A rear bumper is preferably mounted on the hood. The headgear may have a neck adapter connected to the face mask at a face adapter connection. The face adapter connection is formed as a releasable gasket. The neck adapter has a neck cover connector.

The upper portion has an upper airflow across the user's head, and the lower portion maintains a lower airflow across the user's face. A second fan powered by a second fan motor may assist the first fan to allow different modes of operation for the upper and lower portions. The first fan motor and the second fan motor are reversible so that the upper part can take in air and the lower part can exhaust air. Likewise, the lower portion can take in air while the upper portion can exhaust air.

The first fan motor is connected to the first bidirectional H-bridge control circuit, and the second fan motor is connected to the second bidirectional H-bridge control circuit. A controller controls the first bidirectional H-bridge control circuit and the second bidirectional H-bridge control circuit. A display may be mounted to the hood to display a visual indicator of the operating status of the powered air cleaner. The display is connected to the controller.

Description of drawings

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a front view of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a side sectional view of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram showing the motor control and display circuit.

The list of elements listed below may serve as a guideline for the use of element numbers for referencing figures.

20 Hoods

21 brim

22 battery case

23 Adjusting the buckle

24 Internal airflow channels

25 Intake

26 Air intake

27 lights

28 Upper flap hinge

29 Power button

30 face masks

31 Upper airflow

32 Lower airflow

33 fabric cover

34 rear pad

35 hook and loop flap connector

36 Fans

37 Face Mask Hinges

38 Neck pads

40 neck cover

41 Neck Adapter

42 Neck adapter connection

43 Face mask connector

44 Power cord

45 Power plug

46 Electrical Connectors

47 Neck Wrap

50 Soft Foam Shell

51 First exhaust fan

52 Second exhaust fan

53 Thermoelectric coolers

54 Heat Pipe

55 First air exhaust port

56 Secondary Air Exhaust Port

57 Headband

58 Ear openings

59 ear filter

71 top

72 lower

73 Heat Exchanger

74 External battery

80 Fan motor assembly

81 First fan motor

82 Second fan motor

83 First motor first mode signal

84 The second mode signal of the first motor

85 Second motor first mode signal

86 Second motor second mode signal

87 The first bidirectional H bridge control circuit

88 Second bidirectional H-bridge control circuit

89 12V power cord

90 Control Module

91 1st motor control harness

92 Second motor control harness

94 Ground

95 Controller

96 1st 7th segment display

97 Second seventh segment display

98 User mode selection

99 Power output controls

100 monitors.

Detailed ways

Glossary:

IC is an integrated circuit

DC means direct current

Vcc refers to the power input

H-bridge refers to a reversible power circuit that can be drawn in the shape of an H

As shown in FIG. 1 , the hood 20 may be formed as a helmet or hat-like structure having a brim 21 . A battery case having the battery 22 may be formed on the head cover 20 . The hood 20 may be formed as a housing for enclosing the internal airflow channel 24 . The internal airflow channel 24 preferably leads from the front of the hood 20 to the rear of the hood 20 . The hood 20 also has adjustment buckles 23 to fasten the hood 20 .

The brim 21 may have air inlets 26 on the air inlets 25 to allow air flow to enter and pass through the filter before entering the internal air flow passage 24 . The brim 21 also has a light 27 operably connected to the battery housing 22 . The neck cover 40 is suspended from the head cover 20 , and the face cover 30 is connected to the next cover 40 and to the head cover 20 . The hood 20 may have rotatable attachments, such as an upper flip hinge 28, to allow rotation and adjustment of the face mask 30. Preferably, the display 100 provides a visual indicator for determining operation. The fan is mounted behind the air intake 26 and is powered by a battery housing 22 which may also be mounted in the hood 20 .

As shown in FIG. 2 , the face mask 30 has a dome shape and may conform to the shape of the neck mask 40 . A power button 29 may be mounted on the brim 21 . The power button can control lights 27 or fans. One or more fans may be used to draw in and distribute the airflow in the hood 20 . The battery housing 22 may be an elongated battery housing that circumscribes the circumferential periphery of the head cover 20 .

As shown in FIG. 3 , the neck adapter 41 is preferably semi-rigid and receives the face mask 30 at the face mask connector 43 . The face mask connector 43 is curved for receiving the face mask 30 . The neck adapter 41 is also preferably connected to the neck cap 40 at the neck adapter connection 42 . The upper edge of the neck adapter 41 is attached to the headgear 20 . The hook-and-loop flap connector 35 formed on the back of the neck cover 40 allows adjustment of the circumference. The neck cover 40 is preferably made from the absorbent core fabric 33 . The neck adapter 41 is preferably of flexible plastic sheet material and can be magnetically attached to the face mask 30 at the face mask connector 43 . In order for the magnetic face mask attachment 43 to function, magnets may be mounted on the face mask 30 and neck adapter 41 . Additionally, rear cushioning 34 may be used for stability and comfort.

Behind the upper flap hinge 28, the upper airflow 31 is rearwardly over the top of the user's head. The upper airflow is separated from the lower airflow 32 . The lower airflow 32 passes downwardly and exits through the fabric holes in the absorbent core fabric 33 . Thereby, the face mask is slightly pressurized. Preferably, the lower and upper airflows are separated by a foam gasket that fills the space between the user's head and the hood 20 .

As shown in FIG. 4 , the foam gasket forms a comfortable headband 57 . The headband separates the upper airflow 31 from the lower airflow 32 . The comfortable headgear 7 may be mounted to the soft foam shell 50 forming the outer shell of the headgear 20 . The first airflow exhaust port 55 and the second airflow exhaust port 56 may be realized by the first exhaust fan 51 and the second exhaust fan 52 .

The first exhaust fan is mounted higher at the rear of the second exhaust fan, and the second exhaust fan is mounted at the front and preferably lower. The second exhaust fan may circulate air for thermoelectric coolers or heat pipes 54 without thermoelectric coolers 53 . Heat pipes 54 may remove heat from soft foam shell 50 . The heat pipes 54 may extend down to the lower portion 72 to cool the temples, ears or neck area of the user. The soft foam shell 50 preferably has a variable stiffness, with the rear around the airflow fan being softer and a portion stiffer.

Thermoelectric cooler 53 is preferably reversible. Thermoelectric cooler 53 is connected to heat pipe 54 which is connected to heat exchanger 73 . When the thermoelectric cooler is in cooling mode, it draws heat from the user to the heat pipe 54 and then transfers the heat to the heat exchanger 73 . Then, the heat in the heat exchanger 73 is exhausted from the head cover 20 by the first or second fan. When the thermoelectric cooler 53 is in the heating mode, the thermoelectric cooler 53 becomes a thermoelectric heater and transfers heat in the opposite manner to the cooling mode.

In the first mode, the exhaust fans exhaust air from the upper part 71 and the lower part 72 so that the air flows from the back of the head to the front of the head and from the lower part of the face to the upper part of the face. Intake in the first mode occurs by passing air through the face filter 36 . The face filter 36 and ear filter 59 may receive filtered air therethrough to keep the ears and face cool. Ear holes 58 formed in the soft foam shell 50 may allow air and sound to be drawn out. Similarly, the heat pipe 54 may heat the heat exchanger 73 which will remove heat from the user. In order to minimize the generation of heat in the headgear 20 , a battery or a portion of the battery may be installed away from the headgear 20 and powered through the power cord 44 . When the power cord 44 is used, the power plug 45 is connected to the external battery 74 . An external battery 74 may be used in conjunction with the battery housing 22 . The electrical connector 46 may connect the external battery 74 to the battery housing 22, or to a controller that operates a fan. The neck wrap 47 may have a fabric cover 33 on the neck wrap 47, and the fabric cover 33 may have a neck pad 38 to support the neck and the back of the head. The neck wrap 47 may have the shape of a bubble that adheres to the user as the exhaust fan reduces pressure around the face mask 30 to form a seal with the user's skin. The neck wrap 47 is similarly configured to release from the user to release the seal as the exhaust fan increases pressure around the face mask 30 . The neck wrap 47 thus has alternating release and adhesion. The neck wrap attachment need not be air tight, but airflow through the neck wrap 47 can be greatly reduced.

FIG. 4 shows the first mode, and FIGS. 1 to 3 show the second mode. The first mode provides sub-ambient pressure in the lower portion 72 and upper portion 71 . The second mode provides pressure above ambient pressure in the lower portion 72 and upper portion 71 . The first exhaust fan 51 may alternate between intake and exhaust. The second exhaust fan 52 may alternate between intake and exhaust.

The hood has an upper portion 71 and a lower portion 72 separated by a comfortable headband 57 . The face shield 30 in the lower portion 72 is preferably a clear plastic polycarbonate sheet that is shaped to conform to the curved contours. The neck cover 40 is also located in the lower portion 72 and is preferably made of a fabric having an absorbent core that is elastic and conforms to the neck of the wearer.

This mode can be used alternately by selecting a DC bidirectional motor and configuring it on the H-bridge control circuit. Preferably, the fan assembly 80 has a pair of bidirectional fan motors, i.e. the first fan motor 81 and the second fan motor 82 are configured in separate bidirectional H-bridge control circuits 83 implemented in maintaining On the circuit board inside the soft foam shell 50 . The first motor has a first motor first mode signal 83 and a first motor second mode signal 84 . The second motor has a second motor first mode signal 85 and a second motor second mode signal 86 . The first motor has a first bidirectional H-bridge control circuit 87 and the second motor has a second bidirectional H-bridge control circuit 88 . The first bidirectional H-bridge control circuit 87 and the second bidirectional H-bridge control circuit 88 are connected to the control module 90 through a controller, such as an integrated circuit 95 , and are powered by Vcc12V 89 with a ground line 94 . The first motor control harness 91 and the second motor control harness 92 respectively have a pair of signal lines for controlling the motors.

The user may enter a user mode selection 98 from a control such as a Bluetooth enabled mobile phone connection, where the user mode selection 98 is entered into the controller 95 . The controller 95 may output the first seven-segment display 96 and the second seven-segment display 97 to display the user operation state on the display 100 . The pair of seven-segment displays can provide two-digit or two-letter operating indicators. The power output controller 99 may be used to control the speed of the fan motor by reducing the voltage or by pulse width modulating the nominal 12V power line 89 powering the first motor 81 and the second motor 82 (also referred to as Vcc 12V).

The fan pattern can be sine wave, first exhaust, then intake, then exhaust. From this, users can adapt to different environmental factors, such as high humidity, high temperature or low temperature. The fans can also be controlled via a step function, where both fans are on, one is inhaling and the other is in the opposite state.

For example, the second exhaust fan 52 may only be connected to the lower portion 72 and draw air through the face filter 36 and ear filter 59 when the user is hot. At the same time, the first exhaust fan may draw in air and only connect to the upper portion 71 to provide airflow 31 to cool the top of the head. Therefore, each individual fan can run synchronously or individually. Preferably, the upper portion 71 is only fluidly connected to the first exhaust fan 51 . Preferably, the lower portion 72 is only connected to the second exhaust fan. A baffle may be formed between the lower portion 72 and the upper portion 71 to control the airflow between the lower portion 72 and the upper portion 71 .

A third bidirectional H-bridge control circuit can control the thermoelectric cooler to allow cooling and heating. The third bidirectional H-bridge control circuit is also preferably connected to a controller, which may be an IC chip. The user mode selection 98 may be Bluetooth-enabled for the user smartphone application to select different fan and cooling modes, which are then displayed on the display 100 as a visual mode confirmation.

Claims (20)

1. A powered air purifying respirator comprising:

a. a hood, wherein the hood has an air inlet;

b. a face mask, wherein the face mask is sealed to and pivots from the hood;

c. a neck wrap, wherein the neck wrap extends from the hood and the face mask;

d. a first fan powered by a first fan motor;

e. an upper portion, wherein a first fan is in flow connection with the upper portion, wherein the upper portion forms a hollow area between a user's head and the hood;

f. a lower portion, wherein a first fan is in flow connection with the lower portion, wherein the lower portion is formed as a hollow area between a user's face and the face mask; and

g. a filter sucking air from outside of the upper and lower parts, wherein the filter is driven by the fan.

2. The powered air purifying respirator of claim 1, further comprising a second fan connected to the lower portion, wherein the second fan is reversible.

3. The powered air purifying respirator of claim 1, further comprising a face mask filter mounted on the face mask, wherein the face mask filter is configured to filter incoming air.

4. The powered air purifying respirator of claim 1, further comprising an ear filter mounted to the hood, wherein the ear filter is configured to filter incoming air.

5. The powered air purifying respirator of claim 1, further comprising a head harness separating the upper portion from the lower portion.

6. The powered air purifying respirator of claim 1, wherein the hood is made of a soft foam shell.

7. The powered air purifying respirator of claim 1, further comprising a neck wrap, wherein the neck wrap further comprises a neck pad.

8. The powered air purifying respirator of claim 1, further comprising a heat pipe mounted within the hood for exhausting air in the upper portion.

9. The powered air purifying respirator of claim 1, further comprising a brim extending outwardly, wherein a light and a power switch are mounted on the brim.

10. The powered air purifying respirator of claim 1, further comprising an internal air flow passage formed on the upper portion, wherein the air flow passage directs air from the front of the user's head to the back of the user's head.

11. The powered air purifying respirator of claim 1, further comprising a back cushion mounted to the hood.

12. The powered air purifying respirator of claim 1, wherein the hood further comprises a neck adapter, wherein the neck adapter is connected to the face mask at a face adapter connection, wherein the face adapter connection is formed as a releasable gasket, wherein the neck adapter further comprises a neck mask connection.

13. The powered air purifying respirator of claim 1, wherein the upper portion has an upper airflow across the head of the user and the lower portion maintains an airflow across the face of the user.

14. The powered air purifying respirator of claim 1, further comprising a second fan driven by a second fan motor, wherein the first fan motor and the second fan motor are reversible.

15. The powered air purifying respirator of claim 14, wherein the first fan motor is connected to a first bidirectional H-bridge control circuit and the second fan motor is connected to a second bidirectional H-bridge control circuit.

16. The powered air purifying respirator of claim 15, further comprising a controller that controls the first bi-directional H-bridge control circuit and the second bi-directional H-bridge control circuit.

17. The powered air purifying respirator of claim 16, further comprising a display mounted on the hood for displaying a visual indicator of the operational status of the powered air purifying respirator, the display being connected to the controller.

18. The powered air purifying respirator of claim 17, further comprising a face filter mounted on the face mask, wherein the face filter is configured to filter incoming air, and further comprising an ear filter mounted on the head mask, wherein the ear filter is configured to filter incoming air, the head mask being made of a soft foam shell, and further comprising a neck wrap, the neck wrap further comprising a neck cushion.

19. The powered air purifying respirator of claim 1, further comprising a battery-mounted battery housing, wherein the battery housing is mounted to the hood, an outwardly extending brim, wherein a light and power switch are mounted on the brim, an internal airflow channel mounted on the upper portion, wherein the airflow channel directs air from the front of the user's head to the back of the user's head, and a back cushion mounted on the hood.

20. The powered air purifying respirator of claim 1, wherein the hood further comprises a neck adapter, wherein the neck adapter is connected to the face piece at a face adapter connection, wherein the face adapter connection is formed as a releasable gasket, wherein the neck adapter further comprises a neck piece connection, wherein the upper portion has an upper airflow across the user's head and the lower portion maintains a lower airflow across the user's face.

Images